[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 6 (Thursday, January 11, 2024)]
[House]
[Pages H77-H82]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
{time} 1500
PROVIDING FOR CONGRESSIONAL DISAPPROVAL UNDER THE RULE SUBMITTED BY THE
FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION RELATING TO ``WAIVER OF BUY AMERICA
REQUIREMENTS FOR ELECTRIC VEHICLE CHARGERS''
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, pursuant to House Resolution
947, I call up the joint resolution (S.J. Res. 38) providing for
congressional disapproval under chapter 8 of title 5, United States
Code, of the rule submitted by the Federal Highway Administration
relating to ``Waiver of Buy America Requirements for Electric Vehicle
Chargers,'' and ask for its immediate consideration in the House.
The Clerk read the title of the joint resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to House Resolution 947, the joint
resolution is considered read.
The text of the joint resolution is as follows:
S.J. Res. 38
Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled, That Congress
disapproves the rule submitted by the Federal Highway
Administration relating to ``Waiver of Buy America
Requirements for Electric Vehicle Chargers'' (88 Fed. Reg.
10619 (February 21, 2023)), and such rule shall have no force
or effect.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The joint resolution shall be debatable for
1 hour, equally divided and controlled by the chair and ranking
minority member of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure
or their respective designees.
[[Page H78]]
The gentleman from Missouri (Mr. Graves), and the gentleman from
Washington (Mr. Larsen), each will control 30 minutes.
The Chair recognizes the gentleman from Missouri.
General Leave
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all
Members may have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their
remarks and include extraneous material on S.J. Res. 38.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the
gentleman from Missouri?
There was no objection.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
Mr. Speaker, today I rise to urge support for S.J. Res. 38, which was
introduced by Senator Rubio of Florida under the Congressional Review
Act, which would invalidate the Federal Highway Administration's waiver
of Buy America requirements for electric vehicle chargers.
The joint resolution is intended to ensure our Federal dollars
support American-made products rather than products from foreign
competitors like China.
In November of 2021, the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act
created the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program
and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program, funding
these programs at $5 billion and $2.5 billion, respectively.
The Federal Highway Administration was quick to move a waiver of Buy
America requirements for EV chargers to help achieve the Biden
administration's very progressive policy agenda, citing a public
interest need.
There is no public interest need here, Mr. Speaker. Rather, there is
just a desire for the administration to continue to push its woke
agenda without fully considering the far-reaching ramifications.
It is not better for the climate as China is the number one emitter
of greenhouse gas emissions around the world, and it is certainly not
better for American competitiveness or security as China has already
demonstrated it will utilize infrastructure footholds as it did with
telecommunications and Huawei to undermine America's national security.
Simply put, a waiver undercuts domestic investments and risks
empowering foreign nations. If the administration is going to continue
to push for a massive transition to EVs, it should ensure and comply
with the Buy America requirements.
This joint resolution received bipartisan support in the Senate,
underscoring the support of Congress for ensuring that these dollars
aren't funneled to China.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of the joint resolution, I and reserve
the balance of my time.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I
may consume.
I rise in opposition to this resolution. On the Transportation and
Infrastructure Committee, we know that investing in infrastructure
means jobs for American workers and economic growth.
Our goal is for taxpayer dollars to deliver returns at home, not just
for those who travel on the roads and bridges but for the women and men
who build our highway infrastructure.
The Biden administration shares that goal and has made Buy America
one of the centerpieces of its infrastructure policy as we build out
modern transportation systems that are cleaner, greener, safer, and
more accessible.
There is strong bipartisan support in Congress for strengthening Buy
America, rebuilding the U.S. industrial base, and creating jobs.
We saw the result of this broad support with the passage of the
Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, or BIL, which included a new domestic
content requirement for all Federal infrastructure spending.
Congress should be focused on supporting implementation of these new
Buy America and domestic content requirements so we can maximize the
return of our infrastructure investments and support job creation.
Instead, we are here today debating a resolution that would undercut
the BIL and the administration's aim to bolster a domestic EV charger
supply chain.
Federal highway and transit programs have had Buy America standards
for decades. These standards have insured that any investment in U.S.
infrastructure is also an investment in U.S. workers.
Since 1983, all manufactured products have been exempted from Buy
America under the Federal highway programs.
Under this policy, EV chargers funded by the Federal Highway
Administration would not have been required to be built in the U.S.
Further, there would have been no requirements for those chargers to
include any domestic content beyond the iron and steel components.
If this policy had been applied to the $7.5 billion for EV charging
included in the BIL, we would have supported jobs overseas instead of
jobs for U.S. workers. The Biden administration took action to make
sure that would not happen.
First, it deemed that the general manufactured products Buy America
waiver would no longer apply to EV chargers.
Further, the administration created a new, stronger standard for
domestic content in EV chargers. Under the new policy, and for the
first time, all federally funded EV chargers must be manufactured in
the U.S.
The new policy also includes domestic content requirements for all
components, not just those made of iron and steel.
The domestic content requirements ramp up over time to allow
manufacturers to expand their capacity in the U.S.
The policy is working. Since 2021, private companies have announced
$500 million in investments across the country in EV charging
manufacturing facilities, according to the Department of Energy. The
investment is creating jobs in an emerging and growing industry.
This is exactly how Buy America policies are supposed to work. You
cannot change course overnight on a 40-year-old policy. You need to
give time to the private sector to prepare.
That is exactly what the administration is doing. Beginning on July 1
of this year, all federally funded EV chargers will be assembled in the
U.S. and will have at least a 55 percent U.S. content--consistent with
the Build America Buy America policy included in the BIL.
This approach is a win for U.S. workers, the private sector, and all
Americans will benefit from a more sustainable transportation system.
While this new standard is technically called a waiver, it meets the
industry's current needs with greater precision and has a much stronger
Buy America policy than the broad waiver it replaces.
Unfortunately, this resolution before us today would erase that
progress. If we repeal the new Biden administration approach, EV
chargers would once again fall under the broad general manufactured
products exemption from Buy America.
We would lose the requirement that all federally funded EV chargers
be built in the U.S., we would lose the domestic content requirements
for components not made from iron and steel, and we would create
uncertainty for the private sector who have based their investments and
job creation on the new Buy America standards.
Many Members of Congress share the same goal of the strong Buy
America standards. Repealing a Buy America waiver may sound great, but
this resolution would actually weaken Buy America.
Some may argue the Biden administration could just repeal the general
manufactured products waiver. In fact, the administration is in the
process of reconsidering that waiver as we are required under the BIL.
It is a complex process to reconsider a 40-year-old policy that
applies to hundreds of products ranging from traffic cameras to the
changeable message signs that we see every day on our highways.
That process is going to take time to get it right and should not be
used as a rationale for weakening Buy America standards that exist
today.
The reality is that this resolution would weaken Buy America at a
time when we are making record investments in EV chargers.
In fact, this week I expect the Federal Highway Administration to
announce hundreds of millions of dollars
[[Page H79]]
in funding to strategically deploy publicly accessible electric vehicle
charging infrastructure in communities and along vital travel
corridors.
EV charging investment is already paying dividends for communities
and creating jobs. After launching the first federally funded EV
charging station, Mike DeWine, the Governor of Ohio, said electric
vehicles are the future of transportation, and we want drivers in Ohio
to have access to this technology today.
This resolution before us today would slow down similar investments
across the U.S. and create incoherent industrial policy.
It is not just my opinion. This resolution is opposed by the women
and men of the United Steelworkers, the AFL-CIO, the United Auto
Workers, and the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers--those
whose jobs will actually be affected by this policy.
The United Steelworkers said this resolution is shortsighted and
misguided and would undercut American manufacturing, both near and long
term.
The resolution is also opposed by the Zero Emission Transportation
Association and the National Electrical Manufacturers Association whose
members include EV charger and component manufacturers.
In a letter of opposition, these associations said that if this
resolution were enacted, it would cause major disruption of major
infrastructure projects across the country.
We know infrastructure investment creates family-wage jobs for U.S.
workers. The Biden administration's approach to Buy America delivers on
that promise.
I urge my colleagues to support Buy America and to reject this
resolution.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Texas (Mr. Williams), the chairman of the Small Business
Committee.
Mr. WILLIAMS of Texas. Mr. Speaker, in full disclosure to everybody
here, I am a car dealer, and I rise today in opposition to the rule
submitted by the Federal Highway Administration that waives the Buy
America requirements for electric vehicle chargers built in the U.S.
This allows for federally funded electric charging stations to be
built in the U.S. without the use of American steel, iron, manufactured
products, and construction materials, ultimately sending billions of
taxpayer dollars to China.
The $7.5 billion investment builds on Biden's mission to force his
inefficient, expensive, and unreliable green energy agenda onto the
American people.
Now, I can tell you exactly what a government charging station is
going to look like. It is going to have graffiti on it after the first
week; it is going to be broken, and it will never be fixed. That is
what it is going to look like.
Instead, we should allow competition, not government, to drive
innovation. Let the private sector decide when and how much to invest
in the charging infrastructure.
When taxpayer dollars are spent, they should be used to invest in
American businesses and quality manufacturing, not to line the pockets
of the CCP.
I urge my colleagues to vote in favor of the CRA and stop the Biden
administration's America last, China first policies. In God we trust.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Maryland (Mr. Trone).
Mr. TRONE. Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to S.J. Res. 38
and urge my colleagues to do the same.
For months, my colleagues across the aisle have strongly opposed
efforts to support clean energy jobs, fight climate change, and deliver
investments in our future.
The proposed legislation is no different. This resolution undermines
efforts to expand our Nation's electric grid by weakening Buy America
requirements and reverting back to outdated manufacturing guidelines of
1983--40 years ago.
This will allow taxpayer dollars--including $7.5 billion for the
Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act--to be spent in competitor
nations like China instead of right here in the U.S. by American
workers.
This legislation will harm American manufacturing jobs and
communities and worsen our country's reliance on foreign supply chains.
Currently, 44 manufacturing facilities in the U.S. are dedicated to
making EV charger components, amounting to a combined investment of
$313 million and approximately 6,000 manufacturing jobs. We must let
American innovation and technology protect good-paying jobs.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. LaMalfa).
Mr. LaMALFA. Mr. Speaker, I guess the question here is: Yes, is it
going to be buy American or not?
Now, these components we are talking about are, indeed, being force-
fed upon the public with the whole big push for electrifying vehicles.
As we are seeing, the market has softened dramatically since the
additional influx of electric vehicles has been pushed forward.
We are seeing them sitting on dealers' lots, so chargers probably
still need to be made to catch up, to a certain point.
We don't need to be in such a giant hurry that we have to instead
send all this business to the manufacturing leaders in China. Let's let
Americans catch up to this.
Indeed, since we are going to spend the money that is in the trough
anyway from the measure I did not vote for--that many of us did not
vote for--at least spend it on American jobs and keep the spirit of
producing electric vehicle chargers in the United States.
We can catch up and we will catch up, especially if these artificial
mandates to force electric cars are relaxed somewhat.
{time} 1515
Now, we see the Biden administration setting the goal of half a
million chargers by the year 2030--and they say that their goal has
been met so far--but a recent article says that they have only built
one charger under this program in the last 2 years. There is a long way
to go to get to half a million.
Instead of realizing that the goals are unworkable and let the rules
be what they have been on keeping Buy America, Make It In America as
the priority, they are force-feeding something in such a hurry that
hasn't been thought out for a market that is dramatically softening
after the initial wave of electric vehicles.
Instead, let Americans work and not favor the Chinese Communist Party
and their workers.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. Garamendi).
Mr. GARAMENDI. Mr. Speaker, sometimes it is a mistake to listen to
each other, and perhaps that is where we are right now.
I am hearing Mr. Larsen present the legislation, which actually would
repeal the Make It In America provisions into the future. I hear Mr.
Larsen talk about how the President's rule would actually waive the Buy
America requirements that we put into the bipartisan infrastructure
bill until July 1, 2024--5 months from now. That waiver is for 5 months
going forward, at which time the Buy America rules that we put into the
law are back in effect.
I hear my colleagues who are proposing this CR say something quite
different, that somehow this CR would reestablish the Buy America
provisions. Unfortunately, it doesn't. It is just the opposite. It
would eliminate going on beyond July 1 the requirement to Buy America.
Maybe I am confused. I think not.
I do know that in our T&I Committee we spent a lot of time on Buy
America, but the CR not only eliminates the current Federal regulation
that delays until July 1 the implementation of the Buy America
requirements; it goes beyond that. It also reinstates another
provision, that is a 1983 waiver of the Buy America requirements.
So if indeed we want to help American industry, if we want to help
American labor, and if we want to really build out the infrastructure
necessary for electric vehicles, then we are going to need to have
those charging stations. Those charging stations can be made in America
if we stay with the current regulations that the administration has put
forward, which only extends the Buy America waiver to July 1, 2024.
[[Page H80]]
If I am wrong, I am wrong; it is not the first time in my life. Read
carefully what we are doing here. It is not just taking on the Biden
administration, which is great fun for some, it is really about are we
going to have Make It In America requirements or not.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Wyoming (Ms. Hageman).
Ms. HAGEMAN. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleague for yielding me this
time. I rise in favor of S.J. Res. 38 to rescind the Biden
administration's careless rule, which waives Buy America requirements
for federally funded EV charging infrastructure projects.
Instead of abandoning this crackpot environmental project that has
wasted billions of taxpayer dollars with no tangible benefit, the Biden
administration is now doubling down, waiving the Buy America
requirements in a desperate attempt to save the floundering EV
industry.
Under this change, hard-earned taxpayer dollars will not only be
wasted on useless charging infrastructure; no, now these funds will be
squandered on useless charging infrastructure produced from foreign
materials. Meanwhile, China continues to maintain an outsized hold on
EV manufacturing and the critical materials required to construct them.
In other words, rather than invest in domestic energy resources and
infrastructure, the Biden administration will prop up a failed industry
whose entire existence is dependent upon government subsidies while
increasing our reliance on China and other adversarial nations.
These actions will force millions of more Americans into a state of
energy poverty and undermine American sovereignty all to kowtow before
the climate gods.
Mr. Speaker, we must resist the Biden administration's forceful
attempts to transition us to an electric future, whatever that means,
while also advocating for solutions that empower America to restore its
energy and manufacturing independence.
It is for these reasons that I sought to defund one of these useless
EV programs through an amendment amid our appropriations process.
The fact is that this rule is wrongheaded at the wrong time and
should not be implemented. I urge my colleagues to support this
resolution.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentlewoman from California (Ms. Brownley).
Ms. BROWNLEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to speak in opposition to this
resolution. This resolution is nothing more than a stunt to obstruct
the progress and the success of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Since the passage of this historic, once-in-a-generation investment
in our Nation's infrastructure, we have seen strong economic growth and
the creation of over 7 million good-paying American jobs.
The investments in this transformative legislation are reaching
communities across our country, including communities in my district in
Ventura County in California.
This week, the Biden administration announced the award of $12
million for the construction of countywide electric vehicle charging
centers, off-grid EV charging, and solar battery storage, as well as
fast-charging ports.
As a member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee,
I have seen firsthand the critical need to not only complete long
overdue repairs to our Nation's infrastructure, but I have also seen
the need to invest in clean energy and alternative fueling
infrastructure in our country.
It takes bold action to tackle the climate crisis and reduce our
carbon footprint, and the bipartisan infrastructure law does just that.
The law is working to help communities plan their growth, connect our
cities, and significantly improve safety along our roads, bridges, and
rail systems. The law is working to grow our local, regional, and
national economy. The law is working to accelerate the Biden
administration's efforts to grow our Nation's middle class from the
bottom up and the middle out.
Mr. Speaker, the bottom line is that the Bipartisan Infrastructure
Law is working for the American people, and this resolution is both bad
for innovation, bad for job creation, and bad for America. That is why
I urge my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to vote ``no.''
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Oklahoma (Mrs. Bice).
Mrs. BICE. Mr. Speaker, since President Biden took office, he has not
only waged a full-scale assault on American energy production but also
on widely used gas-powered automobiles in order to cater to electric
vehicles.
Despite EVs accounting for only 14 percent of all vehicles sold in
2022, this administration is proceeding forward with its goal to
install 500,000 EV chargers by 2030.
While I oppose the continued push toward electrification, especially
when America's baseload power is unable to keep pace with current
demands, I was at least pleased that Congress put in place requirements
for the IIJA that we ``Buy American.''
However, even this is now being ignored. The Federal Highway
Administration is attempting to issue new waivers to bypass the
mandate.
Instead of upholding the safeguards that are critical to protect
taxpayer dollars, the administration decided to increase our country's
reliance on bad actors like China, who already control the EV sector.
Communities are already struggling with electric transformer
shortages. Our grid is in need of major upgrades, and the last thing we
should do is empower our adversaries by issuing these waivers to build
charging stations for vehicles whose battery components primarily come
from China.
I find it incredible that President Biden, who pushed so hard for
this legislation, now wants to completely ignore a key provision that
was added to safeguard our Nation from China and protect American jobs.
This is wrong.
I call upon the Federal Highway Administration to rescind this
onerous rule, and I urge my colleagues to support the resolution of
disapproval.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from California (Mr. DeSaulnier).
Mr. DeSAULNIER. Mr. Speaker, this pointless resolution would not only
harm the advancement of EVs in the United States, but it would also
allow more work to be offshored to other countries. I strongly oppose
this resolution, and I urge my colleagues to do the same.
Among its many historic firsts, the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
invested $7.5 billion in EV charging infrastructure through the
National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program. I am proud of the
work that we did on this landmark funding that stems from a bill that I
introduced, the Clean Corridors Act, that was incorporated into the
infrastructure bill. It is already helping create a network of EV
chargers to help with the implementation of alternative fuels and the
dynamic investment in electric vehicles and hydrogen-fueled cars.
On a side note, one of the grants was included in the district I
represent between the local library district and the Federal Government
to install chargers at public libraries.
Unfortunately, the resolution we are considering today would remove
certainty from EV charger construction and put good-paying jobs here in
the U.S. at risk in the long-term and in the short-term. The lack of
certainty would also further delay construction deployment and hinder
consumers' use of EVs.
With the transportation sector making up almost 30 percent of the
country's greenhouse gas emissions, we must continue to do everything
we can to transition to cleaner fuels and provide certainty for the
industry to help combat climate change. We need available, reliable EV
chargers to make that a reality considering the global implications.
I strongly oppose this bill and the partisan efforts to thwart EV
deployment.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Miller).
Mr. MILLER of Ohio. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for yielding.
Mr. Speaker, I rise today in strong support of this resolution.
Congress has the power to invalidate this bureaucratic rule that,
simply put, would, once again, sell out the greatest strength of the
American economy--our American workers.
[[Page H81]]
The Build America, Buy America Act was bipartisan legislation that
was included in the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
We must ensure that any infrastructure projects across America uses
American-made and sourced products when they are available.
When the government spends American taxpayer money on an
infrastructure project, it is common sense that the materials used in
the project should be made in America.
We have the world's best workers making the best materials we need
right here at home. This administration's radical push to end consumer
choice and force electric vehicles upon us is completely wrong.
When Chinese- or Russian-made products and materials are used instead
of those from America, it steals jobs from U.S. workers. This
administration cannot be allowed to enable brutal dictators and thugs
on the backs of American workers.
I urge all of my colleagues to support opposition of this radical
rule from the Biden administration and support the American worker by
voting for this resolution.
{time} 1530
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentlewoman from Virginia (Ms. McClellan).
Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to S.J. Res.
38, which undermines the Biden-Harris administration's efforts to
supercharge our transition to a clean-energy future and deploy more
sustainable technologies.
With this resolution, extreme House Republicans are actively trying
to hamper the progress made through the Infrastructure Investment and
Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act. They are threatening the
burgeoning electric vehicle industry and harming our communities, our
economy, and our planet.
It is clear we are in an infrastructure decade thanks to these
transformative investments, yet House Republicans would rather try to
undermine these efforts than acknowledge the clear benefits for
communities across the Nation.
In fact, thanks to the IIAJ, Henrico County, in my district, will
receive over $1.4 million to build 38 EV charging ports at 7 publicly
accessible facilities throughout the community. Similar awards are
going out to localities across the Nation.
House Republicans' solution would impede the growth of our EV
industry across the country at a time when we must do more to address
the climate crisis and as more Americans are switching to electric
vehicles.
Mr. Speaker, I urge a ``no'' vote.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 1 minute to the
gentleman from Georgia (Mr. Carter).
Mr. CARTER of Georgia. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of this
important Congressional Review Act resolution, which prevents the Biden
administration from lining the Chinese Communist Party's pockets in an
effort to further its rush-to-green agenda.
Last Congress, my colleagues across the aisle and the Biden
administration forced through massive spending packages with billions
and billions of dollars for their Green New Deal agenda. In fact, the
IIJA included $7.5 billion for EV charging grant programs.
One of my colleagues' biggest arguments in support of their massive
spending packages was that it was all in the name of bringing
businesses and manufacturing back to America. How does waiving the Buy
America requirement help American manufacturing? I will tell you that
it doesn't. It benefits Chinese producers with lower wage and
environmental standards and can undercut American industry.
China may be producing so-called clean energy technologies like EVs
and solar panels, but it is being done with an engineering portfolio
that increases emissions.
Forcing Americans into EVs as fast as possible is not going to reduce
global emissions when the planet's largest emitters are enabled by our
demand.
Mr. Speaker, I support this measure.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentlewoman from Texas (Ms. Jackson Lee).
Ms. JACKSON LEE. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman from Washington,
the ranking member, for his leadership.
There is more work to be done, and I am glad our previous speaker, my
colleague and friend from California, made it clear that this is for 5
months.
This is about getting more jobs and getting them done now. This is to
emphasize that this new emphasis on EV infrastructure is going to help
each and every one of my colleagues.
I am rising because I am so proud of the State of Texas. It is one of
the few States that has announced American-made EV charger investments
as of September 2023. We are already out front in the State of Texas,
which is not often known for moving fast on these kinds of
environmentally focused efforts. I thank Texas.
It is because of the AFL-CIO Transportation Trades Department, United
Steelworkers, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, United
Auto Workers, Siemens, and Alliance for American Manufacturing working
together for these EV chargers to make sure that we will have the
waiver for only 5 months. Then, all the chargers will be required to
contain 55 percent domestic content on the cost of components.
The infrastructure in which EV chargers are housed is predominantly
steel and iron, which are excluded from this waiver now.
The explanation is that this is to do better, to help America do
better, and to get us ready for July 2024, to help more States have EV
investments that create jobs, move us into a new level of technology,
and provide the opportunity for more science-based mobility,
transportation that is safe, that is clean, and that is job-creating.
What more can we want?
Mr. Speaker, I rise to oppose this legislation because I want more
jobs and a safer environment.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the
gentleman from Nebraska (Mr. Flood).
Mr. FLOOD. Mr. Speaker, time and time again, we see President Biden
picking winners and losers in the marketplace to force a radical
climate agenda on the American people.
In his 2020 campaign, President Biden claimed a Buy America policy.
The first year of his Presidency included lots of posturing on the
virtues of American-made products, yet when push comes to shove, the
President has made it clear that if given a choice between buying
American and pushing an activist climate agenda fueled by EV batteries
made in China, he sides with the woke environmentalists over American
workers.
If the Biden administration is going to distort the energy market
with its Green New Deal and all of its subsidies, one would hope that
they would at least fund the products made here in the United States.
Mr. Speaker, I urge passage of this resolution to stop the Biden
administration from crippling not only our domestic energy production
but also our American manufacturing economy.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Minnesota (Mr. Stauber).
Mr. STAUBER. Mr. Speaker, let's make one thing perfectly clear: The
Biden administration is building their so-called green energy on the
backs of children, on poor individuals enslaved by Communist China.
I wonder what it must be like for the Biden administration to sit in
ivory towers and drive their electric vehicles and pretend to be doing
something positive for the environment.
As long as I am here in Congress, I will expose the truth. The Biden
administration finds it to be perfectly acceptable to use child slave
labor in foreign lands to meet their insincere and deceptive green
agenda, forcing children, under horrific conditions, to dig up, often
with their bare hands, the minerals that they need in their EV charging
stations. It is immoral, it is unethical, and it is wrong.
The rule to waive the Buy America requirement for electric vehicle
chargers is just the latest in this administration's efforts to
eliminate good-paying union jobs for American workers and instead
offshore cheap slave labor in foreign countries with zero environmental
standards.
For the Biden administration, when overseas, it is out of sight, out
of mind.
[[Page H82]]
The Biden administration continues to have their agenda on mining and
energy anywhere but America, any worker but American.
I ask my colleagues not to turn a blind eye. We need to mine here and
buy American. The reason the Biden administration wants to waive the
Buy America requirement is because they refuse to allow domestic mining
to happen.
Mr. Speaker, I live in a district where the biggest copper-nickel
mine in the world is, and this administration pulled the mining leases
for purely political reasons. They won't let us mine in Minnesota,
North Dakota, South Dakota, Washington, Nevada, Utah, Texas, New
Mexico, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, and so many other States. They are
okay with using child slave labor in Congo, where 15 of the 19 mines
are owned by the Communist country of China.
The Biden administration continues to assault the American worker. We
must not let that happen.
Mr. Speaker, when the infrastructure law passed, we supported Build
America, Buy America. This is a slap in the face when Joe Biden wants
us now to waive the requirement. It is unacceptable. Buy America, mine
here in America, period.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my
time.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield 3 minutes to the
gentleman from Pennsylvania (Mr. Joyce).
Mr. JOYCE of Pennsylvania. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentleman for
yielding.
President Biden's attempt to block the sale of gas-powered vehicles
and mandate electric vehicles in the next decade would have disastrous
consequences for American families, American businesses, and the
American economy.
In its quest to implement Green New Deal initiatives, President Biden
and his administration are using American taxpayer dollars to buy
electric vehicle charging stations from the Chinese Communist Party.
Let me say that again. Biden and his administration are using
American taxpayer dollars to buy electric vehicle charging stations
from the Chinese Communist Party. They are sending taxpayer dollars to
China.
President Biden's attempt to dodge the bipartisan Buy America rule is
a realization that his electric vehicle policies are impractical and
irresponsible.
Come on. Americans aren't fooled. An electric vehicle with a Chinese
battery is a Chinese car.
Last year, this House passed my legislation, the Preserving Choice in
Vehicle Purchases Act, with a bipartisan majority. This body has
recognized that electric vehicles are unable to sustain our economy and
unable to sustain the American Dream.
It is critical that we speak with one voice and pass this legislation
to stop the Biden administration from sending American taxpayer dollars
to companies run by the Chinese Communist Party.
Mr. Speaker, I urge all of my colleagues to support this important
legislation.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, may I inquire as to how much
time is remaining.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The gentleman from Washington has 12\1/2\
minutes remaining.
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. Mr. Speaker, I want to close by first going
back to a point someone made by starting their comment with saying,
``since the Biden administration has come in.'' I want to quickly make
some points on that.
Since the Biden administration has come in, unemployment has dropped
precipitously. We have seen continued economic growth in the United
States. Manufacturing jobs have increased.
We have passed legislation to bring $35 copays for Medicare enrollees
and have seen the private sector now adopt $35 copays for their
enrollees for diabetes medications.
Since the Biden administration has come in, we have passed the PACT
Act to support veterans needing healthcare.
Since the Biden administration has come in, although there is still
work to do, I recognize inflation has dropped 65 percent.
There are a lot of things that have happened during the Biden
administration, including the passage of the bipartisan infrastructure
law, which today is putting women and men to work around the country
building next-generation infrastructure, next-generation bridges,
roads, and highways and next-generation transit systems, spreading
broadband around the country and closing the digital divide in so many
communities, as well as supporting the adoption of electric vehicle use
around the country.
It was noted that 14 percent of vehicles sold last year were electric
vehicles. I didn't know it was that high. I thought it was a little
lower than that. I am glad it is that high. It shows an increasing
adoption of electric vehicles in the United States.
To support that, the administration, through the BIL, is now
beginning to implement the distribution and deployment of federally
funded electric vehicles to complement what is already being done in
many States around the country supporting electric vehicle deployment,
including in my district.
{time} 1545
Mr. LARSEN of Washington. The city of Mount Vernon has received a
grant to put in electric vehicle charging stations at their new Library
Commons project, a project I supported and will continue to support, so
we need to break the EV bond that the United States has with China and
start by rejecting this resolution, because, when we buy America, we
are going to say good-bye to our bond with China.
I would ask my colleagues, all Members, to reject S.J. Res. 38, to
support this waiver, to give our private sector the time to develop
what it needs to do to support the broader economy in the United States
and the broader future of American transportation.
Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself the balance of my
time.
Mr. Speaker, passing S.J. Res. 38 is important. If the Biden
administration continues to push its aggressive agenda on American
families and consumers, at a minimum, they should have to comply with
the Buy America requirements, at a minimum.
In 2021, despite Congress expanding Buy America requirements in IIJA
to ensure our Nation's infrastructure comes from and is built by
American companies, the administration is all too willing to issue a
waiver of Buy America requirements for EV chargers in pursuit of its
EV-for-all pipe dream. A Buy America waiver undermines domestic
investments, and it risks empowering foreign adversaries like China.
We should not funnel taxpayer dollars to China in order to achieve
this administration's unrealistic EV goals, which families and
businesses have signaled that they are not ready for.
Mr. Speaker, I urge support of this joint resolution, and I yield
back the balance of my time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. All time for debate has expired.
Pursuant to the rule, the previous question is ordered on the joint
resolution.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the third reading of the
joint resolution.
The joint resolution was ordered to be read a third time, and was
read the third time.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on passage of the joint
resolution.
The question was taken; and the Speaker pro tempore announced that
the ayes appeared to have it.
Mr. GRAVES of Missouri. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and
nays.
The yeas and nays were ordered.
The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX, further
proceedings on this question will be postponed.
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